High Hurdles Collection Two (67 page)

Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you
.

“That was magnificent.” Joe smiled up at her.

“Now, if we can only do it again.”

Chapter • 5

That's our number
.

Joe patted DJ's knee. “You can do it, darlin', you can do it.”

“Th-thanks.” Though the endearment was Gran's, even coming in a male voice, it comforted DJ. She sucked in a deep breath, let it all out, repeated the action, and signaled Herndon into a trot. To anyone watching, DJ appeared totally in control, professional far beyond her years. All she could think was a wish for her butterflies to give it a rest.

The jumps had been raised four inches. Herndon flicked his tail and pointed his ears. They led into a canter, straight for the first jump. As they cleared it with a foot or more to spare, DJ could feel her cheeks crease in a wide grin. Her horse was having just as much fun as she was—and they were a team.

The chicken coop looked larger but not enough to slow them down. “Easy, fella,” she sang to his twitching ears. Herndon responded by releasing even more power, and they sailed over the jump. DJ wanted to scream and shout, but she kept her focus right where it belonged—at the center base of the next jump.

Too soon they were done and cantering out the gate. The applause broke out, ebbed, then swelled again.

Were those tears in Joe's eyes or just watering brought on by the dust?

“That was prettier than any picture I've ever seen.” The big man took hold of Herndon's reins and pounded on his neck. He grinned up at DJ, shaking his head. “Man, that was pure symphony.”

DJ patted Herndon's neck, wanting more to throw her arms around it and squeeze. “What a round! Joe, I've never felt quite like that before— like we could jump the moon if someone would harness it for us.” She thumped on Herndon's shoulder. “Way to go, horse, way to go.”

“When you get something right, you go all the way.” Joe squeezed her hand. “And to think your dads missed this. What a shame.”

“There'll be more. I can tell.” She shifted in the saddle. “How about holding him while I run for the rest room? All that soda …” DJ dismounted as she asked.

“Sure, but you better hustle.”

“I will.”

There was still one more jumper to finish the round when DJ returned to the practice ring.

Tony rode up beside her. “So we go again.”

“I know. You two looked great out there.”

“Thanks, but you are stealing the show. That horse loves to jump. You can see it in every muscle.”

“Thank you.” DJ took Herndon by the cheek straps of the bridle and looked him straight on. “You are one awesome horse, you know that?”

Herndon snorted and raised his head to snuffle her cheek. DJ felt the tingling clear down to her toes. “That tickles.” She patted him once more and mounted. Herndon had actually acted as though he cared about her. Maybe they were getting to be friends after all. And Tony was right; the big gelding loved to jump. He was a show-off from the nails in his shoes to the tips of his ears, including his long eyelashes. She thought again of Tony's comments. Sure was a big change from when he first came to the Academy. From redneck to nice guy. Wow!

“Thanks, GJ. I sure do feel better.” DJ trotted Herndon around the practice ring, along with the three other contestants who'd jumped perfect rounds.

“Way to go, you two.” Hilary leaned on the fence rail, Bunny beside her.

Bridget nodded, her eyes sparkling. “I told you so.”

DJ waved and kept Herndon to an even pace.

“All right, folks, we're about ready for the next round of jumping. Number forty-three, DJ Randall on Herndon, will be jumping first.”

DJ patted Herndon's neck one last time and signaled a walk over to the closed gate that led into the arena.

The steward at the ingate smiled up at her. “It'll be just a minute or two if you want to go around again.”

“Thanks.” DJ reined Herndon to the side and kept him moving. When the gate swung open, she turned back and trotted through. Applause greeted them, but DJ only had eyes and ears for the first jump. Up four more inches. Now it was beginning to show.
Please, God
.

She signaled a canter, and like an arrow heading for a target, they approached the first jump.
Three, two, one …
DJ could feel her horse gather himself and catapult them into the air. Controlled, rounded, focused. She could have picked a star from the sky like an apple from a tree. After a smooth landing, she looked to the next jump when he lifted off. Her hands followed up his neck as she arched over his withers.

DJ looked around the corner to the next jump, and Herndon landed on the right lead. “Easy,” she murmured as he picked up speed. At the triple, they seemed to hang in the air forever but touched ground in perfect time and on to the next.

No tick marred the perfection of the round, and the applause let her know that the audience appreciated their efforts.

DJ could hardly think for the wonder of it. All her life she'd wanted to jump, and here she was with an incredible horse and the jumps flowing beneath them like water under a bridge. And like the bridge, her horse held power beyond her understanding.

DJ dashed the moisture from her eyes before she got to Joe, who waited off to the side. Her butterflies did cartwheels, but now she didn't care. They were doing them all in formation like a well-trained ballet troupe.

“You want something to drink?” Joe clamped a hand on her knee.

“Water”

“Here.” Bunny handed over a bottle.

“Thanks.” DJ chugged it, letting some dribble down her chin. Up until now, she hadn't realized it was getting hot out. She wiped her forehead and listened for the next number. Tony trotted up to her.

“That was some ride.”

“Thanks.” She patted Herndon's shoulder again. “He's having a good time.”

“That's obvious.”

Just then they heard a crack and the sound of a falling bar. The groan from the spectators told what had happened. While the rider finished the round, he was now out of the running since DJ had jumped a perfect round.

“Good luck,” she called as Tony trotted toward the gate.

He waved back at her and entered the arena when his number was called.

The least I can get is third place
. DJ turned Herndon so she could watch Tony jump. Like her and Herndon, they looked to be having a good time. As he launched over the jump, the tick sounded loud, but the groan from the stands turned to relief when the bar only wobbled and stayed in place. Tony made a brow-sopping motion as he came out of the arena.

DJ laughed when he trotted up to her and rolled his eyes. “Close, huh?”

“Yeah, I dropped him.” Tony patted his horse's shoulder. “Sorry, big guy. That was my fault. I won't do it again.”

They both trotted around the ring while waiting for the last entrant to complete her round. A bar falling on the final jump knocked her out, too.

Tony and DJ grinned at each other. “Well, it's you and me,” he said. “Someday we're going to be like this at the Olympics. The final jump-off.”

“So we just do our best. Good luck.”

“And to you.” Tony cocked his head. “Loser buys lunch?”

“Get your money out.” DJ nudged Herndon to a trot, and they completed another circuit of the practice ring.

“Heavenly Father, thanks for the ride so far, and please help us continue to do our best.”

Trotting into the ring, DJ looked across the jumps. She'd never jumped that high before, in competition or practice. She trotted Herndon in a circle and signaled a canter as they headed for the first jump.
Three, two, one
. Like shot from a catapult, they left the ground and soared through the air.

DJ forgot the height of the jumps. She forgot everything but the next obstacle. Each time Herndon launched himself in the air, she cheered within. When they cleared the stone wall, it was like she woke from a trance—she'd been so focused on what they were doing that nothing else existed.

The audience clapped and cheered, and once she'd cleared the gate, DJ let herself hear them.

“Wave.” Joe stood beside her. DJ did as he told her, all the while shaking her head.

“I can't believe we did that. Joe, those jumps looked big enough to … to …” She couldn't think of the words. “What if we have to go again?”

The applause told her that Tony had entered the ring. She was almost afraid to look.

On one hand, she didn't want him to knock a bar down, but on the other … the thought of jumping even higher sent DJ's butterflies into a frenzy.

She could hear Tony's horse grunt with the effort. “Go, Tony, you can do it!” They ticked on the oxer, but the bar stayed in place. She groaned with the other spectators and breathed a sigh of relief when they cleared the next jump.

“Come on.” Joe gripped her knee, his eyes on the ring.

She'd almost let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, when the crack made her sigh. Down went the bar, and Tony cantered out of the ring.

“And our winner is DJ Randall on Herndon.”

DJ patted Herndon's sweaty neck and trotted back into the arena. Her first blue ribbon in jumping at a big-time show like this. She accepted the blue rosette with a smile fit to split her face.

“Congratulations, young lady. That was some fine jumping.”

“Thank you.” Waving the rosette, they trotted back out. She grinned at Tony as he met her going in. “You owe me.”

“I know. Congratulations.” His horse swirled his tail as Tony ordered a canter.

Coming in near the top wasn't as exciting for Tony as it was for DJ. He'd been there before—many times. DJ handed Joe the ribbon and, leaning forward, draped her arms around Herndon's neck. “Horse, we did it.”

“You sure did, and with class to spare. You could have gone another round just fine.”

“I'm glad we didn't have to. That brush jump looked like a monster to me, but Herndon never hesitated.” DJ straightened up and looked down at her grandfather. “I never dreamed it could feel like that. Talk about power.” She patted Herndon's sweaty neck. “Oh man.”

Bunny, Bridget, and Hilary clustered around when Tony joined them. “You two were awesome.”

“Except DJ's more awesome than me.” Tony put the red ribbon against the black of his coat. “Looks good, huh?”

“Hers is better.” Hilary grinned up at DJ. “Ya done good, buddy.”

“I still can't believe we did it.” DJ shook her head. “That was the most awesome—I mean, I thought the round before was incredible, but this … Those jumps looked like giant trees.”

“And they get bigger. And it's timed when you move up to the next division.” Bunny shook her head. “When the jump is taller than I am, I begin to panic.”

DJ smiled down at her petite friend. “Of course, being bigger than you isn't hard.”

“Hush your mouth, young pup.” Bunny nudged DJ with her shoulder.

“Now you know how the big jumps feel,” Bridget said with a smile. “And you loved it. That is good.” She patted Herndon's neck. “You two make a good team.”

DJ accepted the congratulations of people walking by, all the while stroking Herndon's neck. The big horse beside her took the extra pats and compliments as if he played the celebrity every day. Joe stood on his other side, like DJ, one hand on Herndon's bridle. When two girls who looked to be about ten stopped to admire Herndon, he snuffled one girl's hand and bobbed his head.

“Look at him.” DJ nodded at her horse. From highflier to back to earth, there was none of the snobbishness she'd felt in him before. Could a horse understand honors and a job well done?

“I have something for you,” Joe said on the way home. He reached for a package behind the seat and handed the bag to her. “What?” DJ felt the hard sides. “Open it, for pete's sake.”

DJ let out a whoosh of air when she pulled out a video. She looked at him with shining eyes. “My jumping?”